Klamath County Commissioners
intervene in dam removal

by HOLLY DILLEMUTH, Herald and News 11/2/17

The
Klamath County Board of Commissioners is continuing efforts
to intervene in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
(FERC) process to remove four dams on the Klamath River and
transfer ownership to the Klamath River Renewal Corporation
(KRRC). (KBC NOTE: here is
KBC's who's who on KRRC)

The
Klamath River Renewal Corporation is a nonprofit corporation
formed in 2016 to oversee removal of four dams on the
Klamath River.

The
KRRC’s sole purpose is to oversee the decommissioning of
Iron Gate Dam, Copco No. 1 Dam, Copco No. 2 Dam, and J.C.
Boyle Dam in partnership with PacifiCorp, the owner of the
facilities.

The
Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement (KHSA), as
amended in 2016, called for the creation of the KRRC and
provides the roadmap for the decommissioning of the four
hydroelectric dams starting in 2020. The Oregon and
California public utility commissions found that
decommissioning the dams via the KHSA was a prudent
alternative for PacifiCorp’s customers. The issue is now
before FERC to transfer ownership to the KRCC.

The
Klamath commissioners are joined by a long list of those
intervening in the FERC process, including: State Sen.
Dennis Linthicum, Rep. E. Werner Rescke, Siskiyou County
Water Users Association, Siskiyou County Board of
Supervisors, Klamath Water Users Association and California
Department of Fish & Wildlife.

The
act of intervening doesn’t constitute opposition or
proposition on the dam issue, but protects the rights of the
intervenor to express opinions on the dam removal in the
future.

Klamath Irrigation District’s Grant Knoll on Wednesday read
a statement to commissioners during a work session on behalf
of a group of concerned on-project and off-project
irrigators at the meeting. Knoll asked for clarity on the
status of the county commission’s intent to intervene.

“No
individual in the county has standing or resources to
intervene in the FERC process, but we feel this is an effort
that the county government should take on,” said Knoll, in
the statement. “We will be asking our state legislators to
carry this request to the state level and ask for their
intervention in the process.”

Commissioner Kelley Minty Morris told Knoll the county is
already in the process of intervening.

The
commission hired a Washington, D.C.-based legal firm to
start the process in 2016.

“The
intervening is to make sure we are able to advocate for
Klamath County financial interests,” Minty Morris said. “If
we did not intervene, we would not be able to make a case
related to any financial detriment suffered by the residents
of Klamath County.”

Commissioner Donnie Boyd echoed Minty Morris’ comments.

“We
want to have a seat at the table so that we make sure that
we are heard,” Boyd said, following the meeting. “We want to
be able to express our concerns.”

Linthicum, who was present at Wednesday’s the work session,
asked commissioners if they would make the motion to
intervene public.

Minty
Morris said the motion is still in draft form but will be
made public through a public’s record request.

A copy
of the county’s motion to intervene was not available for
release as of press time.

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